Scorpions look to atone for opening rout

Updated 12:33 am, Saturday, April 21, 2012

The Scorpions' Pablo Campos twice hit the crossbar in a 4-0 loss to Puerto Rico.

The Scorpions' Pablo Campos twice hit the crossbar in a 4-0 loss to Puerto Rico.

Photo: John Albright, For The Express-News

Scorpions look to atone for opening rout

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The Scorpions couldn't have asked for a better setting last Sunday as more than 13,000 fans jammed into Heroes Stadium for the first home game in franchise history.

About the only thing that didn't go right was the match itself, in which Puerto Rico drubbed the Scorpions 4-0. Team captain Kevin Harmse provided a more colorful description after the match, but not one fit for print in a family newspaper.

Coach Tim Hankinson's take was less expressive, but every bit as frank entering tonight's home match against Fort Lauderdale (1-0-1).

“We didn't do our jobs,” Hankinson said. “It's extremely disappointing. Quite honestly, we should not be looking for sympathy. We should be angry at ourselves. It could be that the day was too big.

“All week the players were hearing about how large the crowd was going to be, don't disappoint, and there are aspects of your game that can freeze up.”

No facet is lagging more than the Scorpions' frigid touch in front of goal. While Hankinson said he's been pleased with his team's possession and the number of chances they've created, it has yet to produce results.

Pablo Campos, the North American Soccer League's second-leading scorer last season with Carolina, missed a pair of penalty kicks and hit the crossbar on another attempt against Puerto Rico as the Scorpions went scoreless for the second straight match.

In addition to being one of three NASL teams that haven't scored this season, the Scorpions (0-1-1) rank last among eight squads with 17 shots on goal.

“We're getting forward. We just have to get it in the net,” Harmse said. “It's that simple.”

Hankinson also took issue with the Scorpions' lack of physical aggression against Puerto Rico. That hadn't been a problem in their 0-0 opener at Atlanta.

“I thought in Atlanta, we physically engaged the opponent very well,” Hankinson said. “This game we didn't step up and put body against body. That's something even a player without skill can muster.

“If you don't bring those elements to the game, you're asking for a bad result.”

Hankinson pointed out at a recent practice that Manchester United leads the English Premier League after losing to archrival Manchester City 6-1 at home earlier in the season.

The Scorpions hope to bounce back in a similar way. After all, they've only got 26 more matches left on their schedule.

“We haven't thought about it snowballing yet, but of course (we want to win),” Harmse said. “We're focused on this weekend. I don't think anybody's in the mindset (of a slump). It's so early.”